A man has been arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into illegal waste dumping across the North East.
The 29-year-old man was arrested at an address near Preston, Lancashire, on Monday 12 October 2026 during a joint operation involving the Environment Agency and Lancashire Police.
He was questioned in connection with the illegal dumping of waste at Callerton, near Newcastle Airport, and has since been released on bail while further enquiries continue.
The investigation follows another arrest last week in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, linked to illegal waste dumping at the former Dewhirst site on Thorpe Road, Peterlee, and Hart Quarry in Hartlepool.
A 32-year-old man was arrested in connection with those sites and was also released on bail pending further enquiries.
The three sites are believed to contain thousands of tonnes of illegally dumped waste. The Callerton site has since been cleared by the landowner.
The Environment Agency said it has been carrying out searches at the locations and gathering evidence to identify those responsible.
Gary Wallace, Area Environment Manager at the Environment Agency, said:
“We’ve been relentless in our investigation into these sites and two men have now been arrested.
“We’ll continue to put every effort into taking action against those suspected of being involved.
“Illegal waste sites are a blight on our communities and the environment, and we’re determined to bring those behind them to justice.”
Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle said the arrests were an important step towards securing justice for communities affected by illegal waste activity.
She said:
“These arrests are an important step in achieving justice for those communities in the North East who have had to put up with the impacts of these appalling illegal waste sites.
“Through our crackdown we are putting more officers on the frontline and driving faster enforcement and disruption of criminal activities.”
The Environment Agency said the sites were reported over the summer and officers worked with landowners to close them down and prevent further access, including installing concrete barriers.
Illegal waste dumping is estimated to cost the UK more than £1 billion each year and can pose risks to communities, the environment and legitimate waste businesses.
The Environment Agency is urging anyone who sees suspicious waste activity, including unusual heavy goods vehicle movements onto unused land, to report it.
Information can be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or directly to the Environment Agency incident hotline on 0800 807060.
